Mashed seagull recipe

First of all, let me say that this isn’t really seagull. No  seabirds were killed in the production of this tasty snack. Tasty it is, and very quick to make but I have to say that the mixture looks a little odd, hence its name. That came from my ex-husband who thought it looked revolting. Ah well…

Actually, this is a recipe for:

A tasty tuna melt

You can also use it as a toast-topper. Sometimes, if I don’t have any bread in the house, I pile this mixture onto crispbreads or crackers and pop them under the broiler until the tuna mix is hot and bubbling. This is my junk-food fix.

Measurements aren’t exact – it depends on your tastes – but to make one delicious tuna melt you’ll need:

• ½ small can tuna – the really small ones you get in packs of four
• About the same amount of low-fat, cream cheese – I use Philadelphia
• 1 teaspoon (one squirt) of tomato ketchup (if you can get Heinz Tomato Pickle, that’s even better)
• About the same amount of low-fat mayo
• About the same amount of shredded parmesan or the cheese of your choice
• Two slices of bread from a wholemeal loaf

If you like your tuna melt to be cheesier, you can add more shredded cheese but the low-fat and parmesan cheeses give this a lovely flavour without too much fat.

To make:

• Preheat the broiler
• Flake the tuna into a small bowl. I use a teacup – if the teacup is almost full, I know I have enough mixture
• Mix in the cream cheese. There’s no need to combine it well – just a few seconds will do so that the tuna is reasonably evenly distributed in the cream cheese
• Add the other ingredients and mix
• Toast the bread lightly, spread the mix on the two slices dividing it evenly between the two
• Broil, it won’t need long, until the mixture is hot and bubbling
• Place the two covered slices together to form a sandwich

There we have it – mashed seagull. Delicious!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackie Jackson, also known online as BritFlorida, is a highly experienced designer and writer. British born and now living in the USA, she specialises in lifestyle issues, design and quirky stories. You can see a wide range of articles here, or visit her website Tastes Magazine. See The Writer’s Door for more information.